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Dee Rees Biography

Birth Name:Dee Rees

Birth Place:Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Profession Director, Writer, Producer

Fast Facts

Won an Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award and a Gotham Independent Film Award for breakthrough director for "Pariah․"
Won the Sundance Film Festival Award for excellence in cinematography for "Pariah" in 2011
Was named one of the "25 New Faces of Independent Film" by Filmmaker Magazine in 2008
Earned her master's in business administration from Florida A&M University and completed the film program at New York University
Before becoming a filmmaker, she worked in marketing for companies like Procter and Gamble and Dr․ Scholl's
Was a script supervision intern for Spike Lee's documentary "When the Levees Broke" and feature film "Inside Man․"
Quote: "[on directing] "The best thing in the world is to put two characters who hate each other side by side․ Or put two people who love each other far away, so they have to reach for each other with their looks․""
Best known as the writer and director of "Pariah," "Bessie" and "Colonial Gods․"

Awards

2007Best Narrative Short-: winner
2007Iris Prize-Iris Prize: winner
2007Audience Award-Best Short Film: winner
2007Future Filmmaker Award-: winner
2007Student Award-Best Live Action Over 15 Minutes: winner
2007Audience Award-Best Short: winner
2007Tribeca All Access Creative Promise Award-Documentary Feature: winner
2007Festival Prize-Best Narrative Short: winner
2008Ashland Independent Film Award-Best Student Film: winner
2008Short Film Grand Jury Prize-: nominated
2011BFCC Award-Best Director: winner
2011BFCC Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2011Gotham Independent Film Award-Breakthrough Director: winner
2011ICP Award-Best First Feature: nominated
2011Audience Award-Best U.S. Feature Film: winner
2011Grand Jury Prize-Dramatic: nominated
2011WFCC Award-Best Woman Storyteller: nominated
2012EDA Female Focus Award-Best Woman Director: nominated
2012EDA Female Focus Award-Best Woman Screenwriter: nominated
2012Black Reel-Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted: nominated
2012Black Reel-Best Director: nominated
2012John Cassavetes Award-: winner
2012Image Award-Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television): nominated
2012Image Award-Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television): nominated
2015Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special: nominated
2015Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special: nominated
2016Black Reel-Outstanding Director, TV Movie or Limited Series: winner
2016Black Reel-Outstanding Original or Adapted Screenplay, TV Movie or Limited Series: nominated
2016DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series: winner
2016Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia Cinema-: nominated
2016Image Award-Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Television): winner
2016Image Award-Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Television): nominated
2017Audience Award-Marquee Feature: winner
2017ACCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2017BFCC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2017CFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2017Trailblazer Award-: nominated
2017CIFCC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2017Truly Moving Picture Award-: winner
2017LAOFCS Award-Best Female Director: nominated
2017LAOFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2017Audience Award-Narrative Feature: winner
2017Audience Award-Overall Favorite: winner
2017Audience Award-Spotlight Film: winner
2017NYFCO Award-Best Director: winner
2017PFCS Award-Best Screenplay Adapted from Other Material: nominated
2017SDFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2017SFFCC Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: nominated
2017SEFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2017SLFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2017VVFP Award-Best Director: nominated
2017WAFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2017WAFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2017Courage in Filmmaking Award-: winner
2017WFCC Award-Best Woman Storyteller: nominated
2018Oscar-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2018EDA Award-Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2018EDA Female Focus Award-Best Woman Director: nominated
2018EDA Female Focus Award-Best Woman Screenwriter: nominated
2018AFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2018Black Reel-Outstanding Director, Motion Picture: nominated
2018Black Reel-Outstanding Screenplay, Motion Picture: nominated
2018Black Reel-Outstanding Directing, TV Movie/Limited Series: nominated
2018Black Reel-Outstanding Writing, TV Movie/Limited Series: nominated
2018Chlotrudis Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2018COFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2018Critics Choice Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2018Robert Altman Award-: winner
2018GAFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2018Gold Derby Film Award-Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2018Humanitas Prize-Drama Feature Film: winner
2018Image Award-Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture: nominated
2018Image Award-Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture: nominated
2018INOCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2018NCFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2018OFTA Film Award-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: nominated
2018Satellite Award-Best Director: nominated
2018USC Scripter Award-Film: nominated
2018WGA Award (Screen)-Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2023Image Award-Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series: nominated